Method and a device for detecting the presence of personnel in underground mining

• US 6,512,312 B1
• Filed: 07/07/2000
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DBT Automation GmbH
• Inventors: Richter, Bernhard, Herkenrath, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): FLEMING, FRITZ M
• Application Number:
  US09/612,827
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 307/326-328
• US Class Current: 307/326
• CPC Class Codes: E21D 23/12 Control, e.g. using remote control E21D23/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21D 23/146 Transmission of signals and commands by cable
• CPC Class Codes: E21D 23/148 Wireless transmission of signals or commands
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 17/18 Special adaptations of signalling or alarm devices for mine lifts B66B; gas-sensitive devices per se G01N
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/147 using electro-magnetic technology, e.g. tags or radar

Abstract

A method and a device for use in underground mining for the detection of the presence of persons at mine faces supported by support frames, whereby detection sensors (25) are provided on at least some of the support frames (10), and which are coupled to control units (27) for the support frames (10), whereby the detection sensors (25) sample the working and operating area (24) of the associated support frame (10) and bring the latter to a standstill in its movement sequence, if the detection sensors (25) detect the presence of a person in a detection area (30). In accordance with the invention the detection sensors (25) of the individual support frames (10) can be switched on and off by the control units (27) and are only activated when the associated support frame (10) is to be moved and are again de-activated after completion of the movement of the associated support frame (10). The monitoring of the face is therefore only effected in the area endangered by the movement of a support frame (10), so that any electro-smog owing to the electromagnetic waves emitted from the detection sensors and possibly having damaging effects on the miners is reduced.

Claims

1. A method for detecting the presence of persons in underground mining faces supported by support frames, in which detection sensors are provided on at least some of the support frames, and which are coupled to control units for the support frames, whereby the detection sensors sample at least the working and operating area of a support frame to which they are assigned and bring that support frame to a standstill or do not permit its movement, if the presence of a person is established in a detection area, in which the detection sensors can be activated by the control units of the support frame and are activated before a planned movement of the support frame and de-activated after the completion of the movement.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which each support frame is provided with at least one detection sensor.

3. A method according to claim 1, in which the detection sensor of a support frame to be moved is activated at a time before the planned support frame movement and then the working and operating area of at least the support frame concerned is sampled, and a stop signal is transmitted to the control unit if the presence of a person is established during the sampling, or a release signal is transmitted if no person is established in the detection area during the sampling.

4. A method according to claim 1, in which the sampling of the working and operating area of the support frame is effected according to an active/passive strobing process, in which the persons at the face are equipped with a transponder device, which is activated by an activated detection sensor if a person enters the sampled detection area of the detection sensor or is present in the area, and which then transmits a signal of the person'"'"'s presence to the detection sensor, in consequence of which the detection sensor transmits a stop signal to the associated control unit.

5. A method according to claim 1, in which the detection sensors sample their individual detection areas cyclically with a cycle time between 2 and 200 ms.

6. A method according to claim 5, in which the cycle time lies in the range of 10 to 100 ms.

7. A method according to claim 1, in which the signals generated by the detection sensors are direct current signals with variable voltage amplitude.

8. A method according to claim 1, in which the signals generated by the detection sensors have binary values and the information to be transmitted is coded by serial protocols.

9. A method according to claim 1, in which the detection area of each detection sensor includes the working and operating area of its associated support frame and at least a part of the working and operating areas of the adjacent support frames.

10. A method according to claim 1, in which the detection sensors cyclically perform a self-test.

11. A method according to claim, 10, in which the self-test of a detection sensor is only performed if following its activation and on sampling of the detection area, no person is detected.

12. A device for the detection of the presence of persons in underground mining faces supported by support frames, whereby detection sensors are provided on at least some of the support frames, and are coupled to control units for controlling the movement of the support frames and which sample at least the working and operating areas of the associated support frames, in which the detection sensors are activated by the control units of the associated support frames when the support frame is about to move and are de-activated when movement of the support frame has ceased.

13. A device according to claim 12, in which the detection sensors can be adjusted for different sizes of working and operating areas of the support frames.

14. A device according to claim 12, in which the detection sensors monitor the detection area cyclically with a cycle time of not more than 0.2 s.

15. A device according to claim 12, in which the detection sensors are housed in protective housings.

16. A device according to claim 12, and further provided with listing arrangements for capturing and listing the adjustment of the detection sensors.

17. A device according to claim 12, in which the detection sensors are connected via control signal lines to the control units.

18. A device according to claim 12, in which the detection sensors operate in the intrinsically safe power range.

19. A device according to claim 12, in which the detection sensors are mounted on the roof caps of the support frames.

20. A device according to claim 12, in which the indicating devices are provided for detection sensors.

21. A device according to claim 20, in which the indicating devices comprise light emitting diodes or similar.

22. A device according to claim 12, in which the detection sensors each comprise a transmitter unit and a receiver unit, in which the transmitter unit. transmits a signal for the activation of a transponder device carried by a person within the detection area, and the receiver unit receives a signal transmitted from the activated transponder device.

23. A device according to claim 22, in which the transmitter unit has a magnetic field antenna arrangement with two ferrite coil antennae arranged substantially in parallel and connected in equal phase.

24. A device according to claim 23, in which the two ferrite coil antennae are each connected in series with a capacitor.

25. A device according to claim 23, in which the ferrite coil antennae are arranged alongside each other on and substantially parallel to the roof cap of the individual support frame.

26. A device according to claim 23, in which the longitudinal direction of the ferrite coil antennae runs substantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the face.

27. A device according to claim 22, in which the receiver unit has three receiver coils arranged at angles to each other.

28. A device according to claim 27, in which the three receiver coils (45) of the receiver unit are arranged at right angles to each other.

29. A device according to claim 22, in which the transponder device has a receiver device and a transmitter element, which on receipt by the receiver device of the signal transmitted by the transmitter unit is activated by it.

30. A device according to claim 29, in which the receiver device has three individual receivers arranged at angles to each other.

31. A device according to claim 30, in which the individual receivers are arranged at right angles to each other.

32. A device according to claim 23, in which the ferrite coil antennae of the transmitter unit are operated at a frequency between 7 and 11 kHz.

33. A device according to claim 32, in which the frequency is 9 kHz.

34. A device according to claim 23, in which the ferrite coil antennae are arranged on the support frame at a distance from each other of between 100 and 180 mm.

35. A device according to claim 34, in which the distance amounts to between 120 and 150 mm.

36. A device according to claim 29, in which the signal of a person'"'"'s presence generated by the activated transmitter element of the transponder device is transmitted at a frequency between 1.5 and 2.5 MHz.